Information and photos courtesy of volleyball.org.au
Australia’s rising beach volleyball stars have made their mark at the 2025 Oceania Beach Volleyball Championships in the Solomon Islands, with the boys’ and girls’ teams reaching the gold medal matches – and returning home with a gold and silver to show for it.
Queenslanders Ethan Grocott and Thomas Turner were unstoppable throughout the tournament, powering through every match without dropping a set.
Their dominance culminated in a 21-14, 21-16 win over Papua New Guinea in the final, sealing the gold medal in style.
“After winning the final is the best feeling I’ve ever had after a match,” Turner said.
“It was so exciting with all the crowd supporting us.”
The boys overcame tough competition in the knockout rounds, defeating Samoa and Kiribati in the quarters and semis before claiming the top spot – Coach Chris Todd praised the pair’s composure under pressure.
“Both teams worked hard and dealt with some tough hot days,” Todd said.
“It was great that the boys were able to keep their nerve in the final even when a few things went against them.”
On the girls’ side, Queenslander Riley Akanoa and South Australian Ava Gaborit also put together an impressive run, with five wins in the lead-up to the final.
Their only setback came against Guam in the group stage, and the two teams met again in a hotly-contested final.
Despite a spirited performance, the Aussie duo fell just short, losing 21-18, 21-16 to take home the silver medal. Still, the experience proved invaluable for the young athletes.
“It was exciting meeting people from new countries, and making new friends,” Gaborit said.
“It’s been interesting seeing other teams playing a different style to us, but the best part has been meeting new people and getting the locals involved in the crowd,” Akanoa said.
The team spirit and camaraderie extended beyond the court, and for many players, the international setting was as much about the connections as competition.
“It’s been cool to see how we match up with other countries,” Turner said.
“It’s been an amazing experience,” Grocott said.
Australia’s campaign kicked off on April 6 and wrapped up with the finals on April 9, leaving both teams with memories and medals.
A big thank you to coaches Chris Todd and Brianna Mears for supporting the two teams.
GIRLS’ RESULTS
Pool Match 1 defeated Vanuatu 2:0 (21-6, 21-3)
Pool Match 2 defeated Solomon Islands 2:0 (21-9, 21-13)
Pool Match 3 defeated Marshall Islands 2:0 (21-11, 21-10)
Pool Match 4 defeated American Samoa 2:0 (21-14, 22-20)
Pool Match 5 lost to Guam 1:2 (21-19, 19-21, 10-15)
Pool Match 6 defeated Solomon Islands 2:0 (21-4, 21-4)
Final lost to Guam 0:2 (18-21, 16-21)
BOYS’ RESULTS
Pool Match 1 defeated Tuvalu 2:0 (21-5, 21-12)
Pool Match 2 defeated Tonga 2:0 (21-13, 21-14)
Pool Match 3 defeated Guam 2:0 (21-11, 21-10)
Quarter-Final defeated Samoa 2:0 (21-13, 21-14)
Semi-Final defeated Kiribati 2:0 (21-11, 21-13)
Final defeated PNG 2:0 (21-14, 21-16)
QUICK LINKS
AVC Website: click www.asianvolleyball.net
AVC Facebook: click www.Facebook.com/AsianVolleyballConfederation
AVC Twitter: click: www.twitter.com/AsianVolleyball
AVC Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/avcvolley/?hl=en
Mikasa Instagram: click: https://www.instagram.com/mikasasports_official
AVC Youtube: click: Asian Volleyball Confederation
AVC WeChat: Asian Volleyball Confederation
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